


what he could have missed out

by streetlights



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Crack Pairing, Crush, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-02
Updated: 2012-11-02
Packaged: 2017-11-17 14:18:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/552468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/streetlights/pseuds/streetlights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes an aspiring researcher in a ridiculous white hat to get Red to come down from the mountains.</p>
            </blockquote>





	what he could have missed out

**Author's Note:**

> Self-challenge fic. I think this rarepair is cute. I don't think I wrote Brendan right though.

They are in Mt. Silver.

It starts when Green visits him, bringing along some kid Red hasn't met before.

"This is the summit?" the boy asks, seemingly astonished by the interior of the cave.

"Pretty much," Green replies. He points his finger at Red. "That's your guide for the next few weeks. His name is Red."

Red stares at them, but Green doesn't say anything else. He looks frustrated, and he leaves immediately after he dumps the kid inside. Which is strange because he always stays when he visits. Red thinks something must have really pissed him off for him to leave like that, and he wonders if it's his fault or the kid's. Probably both, he thinks.

The kid looks around his surroundings critically, as if the snow on Mt. Silver is radically different from the snow in Viridian during winter. He scans around, then, as cliché as it sounds, his eyes meet Red's.

This is where it all begins.

* * *

"I'm Brendan," he says as he puts down his things and sets up his stuff on his side of the cave. "I'm Professor Birch's son."

"Red," Red mumbles in reply. He watches Brendan a little carefully. He's not used to having strangers coop up with him in his cave. The only people who did that were Green and Ethan, and they hardly count as strangers.

"I know. Professor Oak told me all about you. You're pretty famous around Hoenn too."

There's a dragging silence. Brendan looks up at him expectantly.

Red stays quiet, but remembers that Brendan isn't Green or Leaf or Ethan, so he probably isn't used to the usual lack of sound, or to the strange way Red communicates with body language instead. He swallows at the thought of having to communicate with his voice. He's never been that good with small talk.

"I see," he replies. He looks at Brendan in the eyes and tries to ask _why are you here?_ without having to talk again. But all Brendan does is look away from Red's eyes. So Red asks. With words.

Brendan shrugs. "I've been helping my dad with his research," he says. "I was delivering something to Professor Oak. He was researching on how the different habitats affect different pokémon. He asked me if I'd be willing to help him gather field data and my dad says it could be a learning experience for me so–" and here, his eyes twinkle "–here I am."

Red blinks.

Another period of silence drags on. The only sounds that could be heard are the cackling of fire, the howling of winds, and Brendan's rearrangement of what little he brought with him. He finishes and looks up at Red again.

"It's okay if I stay here, right?" he asks. "Green said it would be okay. You don't have to look after me or anything. I just need a place to stay. I won't bother you much."

Red shrugs. He doesn't really have a choice, and he's not heartless enough to want Brendan to freeze to death out in the open. It's not like he could kick the kid out anyway.

"It's fine."

Brendan smiles.

* * *

Red doesn't see Brendan around much, despite having to sleep with him in the same cave. He is usually too immersed in his training, and likewise, Brendan is too distracted with his research. They are quite similar in that respect. Red recognizes the same determination mirrored in his eyes.

The only time he ever sees Brendan is during the night – and even then, it's too late in the night that even Red is nearly drifting to sleep. Brendan sleeps late and wakes up early – earlier than Red, at least. He says it's because pokémons have different habits at different times of the day, and it's easier to observe them in the night anyway. Or something like that.

Red doesn't understand the logic in it though, since he knows from experience that Mt. Silver is damn hard to navigate in the night because it's too dark to see anything. But then, what does he know about research? Red just lets Brendan off; he's a big boy anyway.

He still stays awake when Brendan has been outside for longer than usual. Someone has to keep the fire aglow in the cave. Even though Red could have asked Charizard to keep the fire up while he sleeps, he knows he should keep himself alert as well, in case Brendan doesn't come back and gets himself lost somewhere. In which case, Red would have to save him before a donphan tackles him defenseless.

Besides, Green would have him dead if he lets his charge die in the snow.

* * *

"You really _are_ quiet," Brendan says one night. He came back earlier than usual. "Green wasn't exaggerating when he said that."

Red shrugs, not sure how to respond.

"Don't you ever get cold?"

Red finds that if the kid's not observing pokémon, then he's observing him. It's probably a researcher thing. Green used to do it when he was impersonating his grandfather when they were young. He shrugs again.

"You're amazing," Brendan finally concludes. When Red looks at him, his eyes are wide and bright.

Red wonders if this is how Brendan's eyes looked like when he witnessed Rayquaza elegantly gliding through the atmosphere.

* * *

It takes a while for them to get a system going. Red provides shelter and helps Brendan with his research sometimes. Brendan is the one who usually ventures out more, so he brings what little food he could find. It still amazes Red how Brendan can find more food than he had in the four years he stayed in the summit.

Pikachu doesn't seem to mind Brendan's presence though. When Red's not training and Brendan's not freezing himself outside doing research, they sit together near the campfire and talk about their past adventures. Well, Brendan does most of the talking. Half the time, Red just listens. Brendan's voice is soothing. It's different from Green's nasal and haughty tone. Red thinks Brendan's voice is soothing because of all the time he spends with pokémon; luring them, training them, researching them…

Red wouldn't be surprised if Brendan even _breeds_ them. It's a gift, he thinks.

"I made these with May," Brendan says. He takes out some pokémon food and gives them to everyone. Pikachu seems to like it enough. "We met in Slateport when she was training for pokémon contests. The berries in Hoenn are the best, they say."

"Pi pika!"

Pikachu grabs more, and Brendan smiles apologetically. He doesn't have any left.

"You made these?" Red asks, incredulous. He's heard of people making pokémon food using berries, but he's never actually seen the products. He's only heard stories from Ethan and Leaf. It never really caught on in Kanto because of the lack of berries.

"Yeah," Brendan says. "It's actually fun once you get used to it. Want me to show you sometime?"

Pikachu chirps in behalf of Red.

* * *

Red leads Brendan to the springs one day when the researcher asked how Red takes a bath. The water is clear and warm when they get there – Moltres makes sure it stays in just the right temperature for Red.

"Arceus…" Brendan breathes out. "It's Moltres! Blaziken look, do you see? He's beautiful."

He immediately takes out his pokédex to record data. His eyes are filled with excitement and awe, moreso than usual anyway, and his smile is impossibly wide.

Red dips into the spring and patiently waits for Brendan to finish. His looks at Moltres, who seems a bit unnerved at having been researched upon, but at least there aren't any stray flamethrowers in their general direction. He could sense the discomfort though.

"I don't think Moltres would appreciate you publishing that," he says once Brendan joins him. He sees the kid's smile deflate a little, but it seems that he understands. He doesn't ask questions, or press for more info. He doesn't whine or beg or try to convince either of them to let this discovery out.

He _is_ a little disheartened though.

"Alright. I'll respect that," Brendan says, making himself comfortable beside Red. It is only then that Red realizes that they are both shirtless, and it's weird how they could easily feel comfortable around each other. "This is still pretty amazing though."

Moltres nods appreciatively. The water turns warmer, just hot enough for them to relax in.

Brendan takes off his bandana and his hat and throws them towards his pile of clothes.

Red blinks.

"What is it?" Brendan asks. He's getting better at reading Red's body language.

Red turns to the side and mumbles, "Your hat looks ridiculous."

Brendan laughs. "It kinda does, doesn't it? When I'm too far away, people mistake it for my hair. It's weird."

"Why do you wear it?"

Brendan shrugs. "I don't really know. It's comfy."

Red eyes the white hat on the floor, and thinks that it looks like a sack that's held up by a green bandana. But it's kind of cool too, in its own way. Red thinks it's only because Brendan can pull off wearing such a silly hat.

His eyes turn to Brendan. He never really saw him as someone with dark, dark hair. It's almost a contrast to the ever-present white Red is used to seeing.

"Take off your hat too," Brendan says with a mischievous glint in his eyes, and before Red could do anything, Brendan steals his cap and tosses it to the floor. It lands ungracefully on top of Brendan's sack-hat.

Red stares at Brendan.

"What?" Brendan laughs. "You look better without the cap anyway."

 _So do you,_ Red thinks. But he doesn't say anything.

* * *

They battle the day before a harsh hailstorm. Brendan puts up an intense battle, but Red wins the match in the end. Brendan's face flashes a myriad of emotions, like he wasn't sure what to feel. He gives a rueful smile in the end, and tends to Blaziken as fast as he could.

"You really are the Champion," he says. "I'm sure May would have a fun time battling you."

Red doesn't say anything. He hands the hyper potion to Brendan and tends to his own pokémon. He cradles Pikachu in his arms before saying, "You were a good opponent."

He really was.

* * *

There are days, though, when Red just curls up in a ball and sleeps the world away. Sometimes it's just boredom. Today it's exhaustion. He likes having his own little world where silence means more than everything. This world he escapes in, confined in recesses deeper than those inside his cave; it's almost an embodiment of his whole being.

Mt. Silver isn't his escape. Sleep is.

He doesn't think Brendan gets it, but when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he notices Brendan sleeping beside him, eyes closed and relaxed, his bandana and hat forgotten on the other side of the cave. His hand is resting on top of Pikachu's curled form, and the yellow mouse doesn't seem to mind. He's never been this close to Brendan before.

Red lies back down and closes his eyes. He drifts off to the sound of Brendan's even breathing, half-conscious of his scent permeating through the air, and his breath mingling with his own.

* * *

And then there are days when, in the midst of training and research, everything just stops for moment, freezing in time like the ice and snow of Mt. Silver. Red doesn't remember who started it – he thinks Pikachu did, but Brendan isn't too far off either – but it doesn't matter anyway. He doesn't know how he got himself into it, but later, he'd never deny that he had fun throwing snowballs at the researcher like they weren't freezing up in the summit and getting frostbites.

Brendan retaliates, flinging the cold whiteness to Red's chest before running away.

It's like being a child again. Red could almost imagine the muddy grass and stained shirts and punctured bicycle tires. They chase each other around, the cold numbing the smiles on their faces as if they didn't look like idiots already.

"We need to work less," Brendan breathes, smiling.

Red laughs with Brendan, and they fall down on the snow panting, sticking their tongue out to catch snowflakes that burn on their tongue until their backs couldn't take the wet cold anymore.

He feels like nine again, an infinity away from ten years old. He laces his hand with Brendan's on the way back, like Green had done many times when they were kids. The hand he touches is neither soft nor calloused, and not as warm as Green's. It feels numb and cold, barred by the thin gloves they both wear.

Red wonders if he's missed out on a lot of things in life, like snowball fighting with this person walking beside him with a lopsided bandana and a content smile. Red used to think he's seen the world by now. He's done everything. There is little to do with the lifetime he has left.

Brendan holds his hand back, and to Red, it's a reassurance.

* * *

And then Brendan is leaving, going back to Professor Oak. Red is amazed how much time passed by. He was just getting used to things, and now the kid had to leave? He barely even got to know Brendan.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Brendan asks. His things are packed and ready. He tilts his head a little. "Green says he misses you, but I'm not allowed to say that." His lips form a lighthearted smile.

"He'll visit," Red says, though he isn't really sure since Green hasn't visited him since he dropped Brendan off. Is he still mad for whatever Red did (or didn't) do? It worries Red, but he's not as worried as he expected himself to be. His hands are too full of keeping Brendan alive to think about Green.

(Not that Brendan didn't prove himself capable of surviving without Red, but that's entirely beside the point.)

Brendan shrugs. "I guess. So, this is goodbye then?"

Red doesn't know what made him say it. Maybe he grew bored of the mountains, or maybe he felt guilty for whatever Green is mad about. Maybe he didn't want this to be the last time he'll see Brendan again (not for a long while at least). Maybe it's because he grew slightly attached to the kid, just a little bit.

"I'm coming with you."

And with that, he packs what little he has with him and walks out of the cave with Brendan, a curtain of snow falling all around them.

* * *

They are in Pallet Town.

It's just as Red remembers it: a quiet little town tucked away from the urban life; simple, and irreplaceable. It's been too long since Red has been home.

Brendan holds his hand.

It's warm.


End file.
